Why Men Die First: How to Lengthen Your Lifespan

by Marianne J. Legato

Overview

It is a universal fact that men die before women. But the causes of this have long remained unexplored. Why Men Die First examines the reasons that men are more susceptible to illness and explains what they need to do to live longer. Bestselling author and professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University, Dr. Marianne Legato delves into problems that both men and women care about, including:
* How men's reluctance to speak frankly to their physicians can kill them

* The hormonal shift called "andropause," the male menopause, and therapies that alleviate its painful symptoms

*Men's biological predisposition to infection and how best to protect against it

*The real causes of male depression and how to treat it

*The risks inherent to the male heart, and ways to correct coronary disease--even late in life

Through her appearances on the Today Show and NBC Nightly News, Legato has launched the conversation about why men die young, and what we all can do to reverse the grim trend.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780230605176
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Publication date:	05/27/2008
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.42(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Dr. Marianne J. Legato is an internationally recognized physician, author, and lecturer. Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University, she is annually cited in New York Magazine's top doctors issues. She is also the author of bestselling Eve's Rib, The Female Heart, and Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forgot, which was translated into eleven languages.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     ix
Foreword     xi
The Strong, Powerful-and More Vulnerable-Male     1
Beginnings: Surviving the Womb and the First Weeks of Life     19
Educating Boys: How Well Are We Doing?     47
The Male Adolescent: The Dangerous Gulf between Impulse and Judgment     65
Male Depression: Its Causes, Expression, and Treatment     81
The Male Libido: Men and Sex     107
Hitting 40: New Challenges     127
Men and Cancer     159
Sports: The Price Men Pay     175
Men's Work: What Are the Hazards?     189
Andropause and the Aging Male     201
Coda     223
Notes     227
Index     249

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2015
Legato, a professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University, describes the behaviors and experiences of men that contribute to a shorter life span than women enjoy. This resource looks at physical and psychological differences contributing to men's stress. Other topics discussed include depression and andropause. (LJ 6/1/08)

Library Journal

Legato, a physician and one of the founders of gender specific medicine, provides a broad-brush look at the relative fragility of men who "at every point of their lives die an average of seven years earlier than women." Much of the book will be familiar to anyone who read John Gray's Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (or, indeed, Legato's own Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget), emphasizing the debatable notions that men and boys are aggressive where most women are team players, and that women value "the ambiance of the workplace and their relationship with other workers" over attaining power within a corporate structure. She breaks newer ground when she examines the genetics; the Y chromosome, she contends, may be more vulnerable to mutation, leading her to ponder whether "men have a future," or might disappear in 125,000 years (on the other hand, it may be that "the Y drives evolution"). Later chapters look at depression, diseases, sports and work as they relate to men. Though a well-sourced overview, Legato's attempt to give readers a "new view of men" suffers from a lack of fresh perspective.
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Publishers Weekly

“This clearly written book, with its informative coverage of the male perspective on gender-specific medicine--and ironically written by a female physician--is a good purchase for public libraries and consumer health collections” —Library Journal

“A vital and rewarding book...a fascinating as well as practical look at how men are both made (by biology) and shaped (by culture). Readers will be engaged and amazed by the discoveries and insights that modern medicine now possesses about the mysteries of gender. Dr. Legato has a gift for narrative and an ability to see into the human heart.” —Diane Salvatore, Editor in Chief, Ladies' Home Journal

“Marianne Legato, who has devoted her career to studying the differences between the sexes, believes that the premature death of men is the most important--and neglected--health issue of our time. She has written a book for every man who wants to live longer and for the women and families who love them. Dr. Legato has started a much needed conversation we should all be having about how we can improve the health and longevity of men, who--at all ages--die before women.” —Dr. Mehmet Oz, author of You: The Owner's Manual

From the Publisher